Kitchener Rangers 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 4)

[SoupNazi]

Continued from Kitchener Rangers 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 3)

Click to read more...

 

[Holden Caufield]

I was very impressed by Lam in that home and home against London.

Many Rangers didn’t have positive showings.
But Lam was consistently creating and was dangerous. He seemed to have a lot of poise for a 16 year old rookie.

His effort and motor also really stood out at the tail end on Saturday when the game against London got out of hand. There was no quit in him.

 

[bobber]

I was very impressed by Lam in that home and home against London.

Many Rangers didn’t have positive showings.
But Lam was consistently creating and was dangerous. He seemed to have a lot of poise for a 16 year old rookie.

His effort and motor also really stood out at the tail end on Saturday when the game against London got out of hand. There was no quit in him.

Great point! If Lam stays healthy he will be a force in this league going forward. He has a lot of poise and vision for a 16 year old rookie. Jussie can throw him out in any situation and he seems to be fine.

 

[Buttsy]

Great point! If Lam stays healthy he will be a force in this league going forward. He has a lot of poise and vision for a 16 year old rookie. Jussie can throw him out in any situation and he seems to be fine.

I think many of us do not give enough credit to the 16 year old players in the league. The OHL is not an easy league to play in period but for a 16 yr old KID matching up potentially with a 21 yr old MAN its quite an accomplishment. Hats off to all the youngsters on all of the rosters.

 

[Krangers08]

23 games remaining. Hopefully Martin sees some action soon and hits the playoffs running. Has only played 15

 

[RB76]

Interesting to see what the coaches can come up with to play against London and some of the other tougher opponents. IMO we can’t go toe to toe with them. Play our own game and try to capitalize on special teams.

 

[bobber]

Interesting to see what the coaches can come up with to play against London and some of the other tougher opponents. IMO we can’t go toe to toe with them. Play our own game and try to capitalize on special teams.

Rangers have some of the highest scoring players in the OHL and can't score with the advantage. Jussi has to find a way to get the power play going and cut down on short handed opportunities? If the power play was stronger and converted to goals it changes the dynamic and forces the opposition to change their game. They won't be running at the Rangers like bulls in a china shop with the chance they take more penalties. When the opposing coach sees a weakness its like a chicken with a spot of blood. They go right to the source to take advantage of it. Rangers can't set up on the PP without giving the puck up and handing the opposition a chance on net at the moment. Happens every game more than once.

 

[RangerNation]

Regroup and look ahead.

 

[EvenSteven]

Rangers have some of the highest scoring players in the OHL and can't score with the advantage. Jussi has to find a way to get the power play going and cut down on short handed opportunities? If the power play was stronger and converted to goals it changes the dynamic and forces the opposition to change their game. They won't be running at the Rangers like bulls in a china shop with the chance they take more penalties. When the opposing coach sees a weakness its like a chicken with a spot of blood. They go right to the source to take advantage of it. Rangers can't set up on the PP without giving the puck up and handing the opposition a chance on net at the moment. Happens every game more than once.

I’m starting to wonder if the team we have on our hands here is a regular season team.

Scoring wins games. Defense wins championships.

We have a few character guys, but do we have the team who can play playoff hockey? I hate bringing up the Leafs here but they can score with the best of them and win regular season games, but when the post season roles around, they fold against the teams with grit, defensive play, deep defense, and character.

Back in the day, when DeBoer was running the show, this team had character. He built playoff teams.

The old adage of “keep it clean, take the high road and we’ll get them on the PP” almost never works in the post season vs teams with character and grit. Spott tried it here and failed. Steve B’s biggest belief was to take the high road. It didn’t get us far.

I hope people aren’t waiting for Martin to come back and provide what this team lacks. He’s a beast around the net front and pots his share of goals. But he really isn’t scaring anyone though he does manage to take a player with him when he goes to the box.

It’s unfortunate that our back end is as thin as it is of veteran D. Doesn’t allow a guy like Andonovski to really play his game when he has to be afraid of going to the box thereby taxing an already thin D. And it was quite obvious the London players were all over him knowing that and knowing he’s already at his fight limit.

The type of players we asked for at the deadline were third line depth players and depth D. I like the Savard addition but we could have used one more like him.

The jury is out on Sale but at first glance, he’s not the gritty playoff type player we were looking for to patrol the 3rd line. I think someone mentioned it on here during the lead up to the deadline. We needed a veteran F who could put up a few points and move up the lineup if need be and also a carbon copy of a Pugliese. We got Sale but boy could we use another Pug on this roster.

 

[rangersblues]

I’m starting to wonder if the team we have on our hands here is a regular season team.

Scoring wins games. Defense wins championships.

We have a few character guys, but do we have the team who can play playoff hockey? I hate bringing up the Leafs here but they can score with the best of them and win regular season games, but when the post season roles around, they fold against the teams with grit, defensive play, deep defense, and character.

Back in the day, when DeBoer was running the show, this team had character. He built playoff teams.

The old adage of “keep it clean, take the high road and we’ll get them on the PP” almost never works in the post season vs teams with character and grit. Spott tried it here and failed. Steve B’s biggest belief was to take the high road. It didn’t get us far.

I hope people aren’t waiting for Martin to come back and provide what this team lacks. He’s a beast around the net front and pots his share of goals. But he really isn’t scaring anyone though he does manage to take a player with him when he goes to the box.

It’s unfortunate that our back end is as thin as it is of veteran D. Doesn’t allow a guy like Andonovski to really play his game when he has to be afraid of going to the box thereby taxing an already thin D. And it was quite obvious the London players were all over him knowing that and knowing he’s already at his fight limit.

The type of players we asked for at the deadline were third line depth players and depth D. I like the Savard addition but we could have used one more like him.

The jury is out on Sale but at first glance, he’s not the gritty playoff type player we were looking for to patrol the 3rd line. I think someone mentioned it on here during the lead up to the deadline. We needed a veteran F who could put up a few points and move up the lineup if need be and also a carbon copy of a Pugliese. We got Sale but boy could we use another Pug on this roster.

I hate to keep using the London blue print as an example but... When they are competing for a championship, they always pack their bottom 2 lines with guys with sandpaper. If they don't have them, they'll acquire them by trade. And their defense is both deep and experienced.

Hopefully in 2 years that's the plan we follow.

 

[bobber]

I hate to keep using the London blue print as an example but... When they are competing for a championship, they always pack their bottom 2 lines with guys with sandpaper. If they don't have them, they'll acquire them by trade. And their defense is both deep and experienced.

Hopefully in 2 years that's the plan we follow.

Not sure if the Rangers still follow the same agenda they seem to take on after the Ben Fanelli incident. Rangers are not really built for a run this year as Even mentioned. There are a few teams loaded with older vets that would be a grind to play against regular season or play offs.

 

[EvenSteven]

Andonovski got 3 games.

 

[bobber]

Andonovski got 3 games.PrioriEdwards only got two games for taking out a 16 year old rookie? Sounds about right.

Edwards only gets two for a head check on a 16 year old rookie. Sounds like the league has priorities.

 

[EvenSteven]

Edwards only gets two for a head check on a 16 year old rookie. Sounds like the league has priorities.

Ando’s three likely included two for his fourth fight I’d think? Then one for the cross check?

 

[Krangers08]

Are runco and Difelice still on the protection list? Difelice hasn’t played since October.

 

[Krangers08]

Ando’s three likely included two for his fourth fight I’d think? Then one for the cross check?

All three for the crosscheck. At least one of his fights was from a instigator which don’t count

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I hate to keep using the London blue print as an example but... When they are competing for a championship, they always pack their bottom 2 lines with guys with sandpaper. If they don't have them, they'll acquire them by trade. And their defense is both deep and experienced.

Hopefully in 2 years that's the plan we follow.

They also rely heavily on their top 2 lines and top 2 D because that's who Dale trusts the most. They don't roll 4 lines very often in the playoffs, at least that wasn't the case when I was living in London and watching every game on tv. Maybe I used to spend too much time on the Knights board back then, but I sometimes felt/feel crazy when I'd read Knights fans analysis of their team/coach year in and year out, and our fans assessment of them year in and year out...surprisingly fans here are much more praise filled, unwaveringly so, than Knights fans have been over the years IME.

There isn't a basic model the Knights use that you can simply replicate and have success with IMO, if their was everyone would be trying to do it and at least one other team would have figured it out and become a similar force. They built that thing from the ground up and are more committed to it than any ownership group I can recall since I started following the league as a kid.

I was on the soft sell train pretty much all the way this year. I was fine with what we did but still feel we could have set the franchise up much better for the future from selling or soft selling, but the better the team did (and I felt we were over achieving the whole way, at least re: championship contenders) the less people here and clearly in management wanted to consider that.

 

[robertmac43]

I was unable to follow the action Saturday. Does anyone have a clip of incident leading to the suspensions?

 

[Krangers08]

I think is safe to say Macniel won’t be representing the GOJHL in the St Andrew’s tournament this weekend.

 

[EvenSteven]

Not sure if the Rangers still follow the same agenda they seem to take on after the Ben Fanelli incident. Rangers are not really built for a run this year as Even mentioned. There are a few teams loaded with older vets that would be a grind to play against regular season or play offs.

The Fanelli incident changed the trajectory of this team for years to come. That and the DeBoer departure the year prior.

We went from having a team that played smash mouth hockey to a team that took the “high road”. Fan favourites like Duco, Keefe, Clarkson, and Pepe, to name a few, became a thing of the past.

Spott was quick to run Mascioli out of town. Mike Mascioli, a pugnacious, gritty, promising power forward. The 2nd round pick into this league just needed the same direction that was given to Adam Keefe by DeBoer. But Steve B’s “high road” put the kibosh on his development.

Now I’m not saying we need a crew that runs around scrapping every game. But the players I mentioned above were heart and soul players with the gloves on. Hard hitting, no nonsense players with massive work ethic.

What this team needs going forward are a few players like this. Maybe today’s “players like this” are in the form of a Mike Petizian. That type of player was sorely missed on last year’s playoff run. I’m not so sure we have that type of player on this year’s team. Pugliese could be that player?

One thing I do know. We’re going to need players like this, along with skill players, if we want to win going forward. Looking towards 2027, we need to identify and draft players like this in the ‘24 draft.

 

[rangersblues]

The Fanelli incident changed the trajectory of this team for years to come. That and the DeBoer departure the year prior.

We went from having a team that played smash mouth hockey to a team that took the “high road”. Fan favourites like Duco, Keefe, Clarkson, and Pepe, to name a few, became a thing of the past.

Spott was quick to run Mascioli out of town. Mike Mascioli, a pugnacious, gritty, promising power forward. The 2nd round pick into this league just needed the same direction that was given to Adam Keefe by DeBoer. But Steve B’s “high road” put the kibosh on his development.

Now I’m not saying we need a crew that runs around scrapping every game. But the players I mentioned above were heart and soul players with the gloves on. Hard hitting, no nonsense players with massive work ethic.

What this team needs going forward are a few players like this. Maybe today’s “players like this” are in the form of a Mike Petizian. That type of player was sorely missed on last year’s playoff run. I’m not so sure we have that type of player on this year’s team. Pugliese could be that player?

One thing I do know. We’re going to need players like this, along with skill players, if we want to win going forward. Looking towards 2027, we need to identify and draft players like this in the ‘24 draft.

I think given time Jussi could develop that culture where the entire team played with more grit. I'm not sure he's going to be here long enough for it to become engrained though.

 

[Habsrule]

Remember the very first move Deboer did? He brought in Policelli. That set the tone for the team.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think given time Jussi could develop that culture where the entire team played with more grit. I'm not sure he's going to be here long enough for it to become engrained though.

There is some hope I suppose. MM has shown that he doesn’t mind that kind of player on the roster. Xhekaj, Andonovski, Giovani Smith, Mutter and Connor Hall to name a few.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

All three for the crosscheck. At least one of his fights was from a instigator which don’t count

And he crosschecked twice. Shouldn't have crosschecked at all after his beauty of a hard hit.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Rangers have the weekend to get their game back into play. No Ando so others on the D have to step up. What of Swick? Mesar? Notably two off the top line. Coincidence I'm sure.

And how close is Martin to returning? Would they risk him in the next game against London?

Burchell and for that matter, Faist, better not be anywhere near this game.